


A Court of Healing and Hearts

by Zillenial_Kat



Series: A Court of Healing and Hearts [1]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Mates, Multi, Multiple Partners, Oral Sex, Original Character(s), Other, Shameless Smut, Velaris
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:20:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26521300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zillenial_Kat/pseuds/Zillenial_Kat
Summary: Kat was an average girl with a normal life.  A single law student who read a few too many books and deeply loved her cat.  So why did she have to be what these insane winged-people are calling a world walker?  She has no idea, and she also does not understand why every person in this fucked-up alternate world has to be so incredibly attractive.  However, she's not complaining when they take an interest to her, but she may have more of an issue when the word "mate" starts getting thrown around.
Relationships: Azriel (ACoTaR)/Original Character(s), Cassian (ACoTaR) & Original Character(s), Feyre Archeron/Rhysand
Series: A Court of Healing and Hearts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928452
Comments: 14
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

I was walking to class.  
I was literally just walking to class a minute ago. I wasn't drinking last night, I had definitely not started my day with a shot of Jack in my coffee, but there I was, crumpled against some brick building that almost certainly is not in any part of Boston I've been in before. Well, shit. I decided quickly that while class wasn't on my agenda anymore, I needed to figure out where I was and, more importantly, how to get back to my bed in the shortest amount of time possible. Even if I wasn't drinking last night, my body hurt like I had drank half of my liquor cabinet.  
Shit.  
I've been drugged before and it felt exactly like this. Ok, yes, getting home was by far the most important thing to do right now.  
I tried to stand up, but caught myself with half my body leaning against the wall. I was tucked into an alley, and by the looks of it, placed right in front of a doorway, so who brought me here? A question for later. I reached into my purse to pull out my phone to get my bearings. After a quick click and password I opened Google maps and...nothing. Literally nothing showed up. So no cell service, ok that's a new wrench in the plan. I started to look around the alley again and focused on the sounds of a bustling city all around me, so there were definitely people around, at the very least. Maybe it was just my phone that wasn't working, so new plan of attack I needed to find anyone with a working phone. Always go for a woman right? I started to push myself off the wall again and this time made it a few steps closer to one end of the alley that sounded like there were more people milling about. I shuffled the last few steps to a position where I could see out onto the street and, fuck, these were some heavy duty drugs.  
I didn't even see people, I saw monsters. Jesus Christ, this is why I don't do hard drugs because you never know what you're gonna get on the trip. I looked between a group of creatures who were covered in green scales and loose...frocks? Like Middle Ages style frocks? Wow, even on drugs I can't get away from my history major. I shook my head and tried to clear away the fogginess and the bizarre effects the drugs were having on my perception. So how to tell a non-threatening person from a threatening one when everybody I see looks like something out of a midieval-fantasy cosplay wet dream.  
Apparently, my brain made the decision for me. Finally I saw someone who looked completely human, something I was not planning on having to discern on a Tuesday morning. Even better, she was exactly the type of young woman I had been looking for. She looked to be about my age, and walked like she knew where she was going without being in too much of a hurry. I finally pushed myself in a position where she would be able to see me from the street, so I didn't terrify her when I called out, and waited for her to get a little closer.  
"Excuse me?" I tried to stand away from the wall to speak to her, but it had the opposite of the desired effect of showing strength. I fell flat on my ass.  
Or I should have, but she caught me around the waist before I ever hit the ground. Weird, since she had still been about 10 feet away when I started to fall.  
I shook my head, dismissing the thought and extracted myself from her arms in favor of the wall.  
"Are you ok? You look like you fell out of a building." She reinforced how I felt with the question.  
"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to bother you. Oh and thanks for the catch," she chuckled at that, but I plowed ahead. "I have no idea where I am, I was walking to class and then I ended up here, but I think I was drugged I'm seeing things and I need to get home." Ok, the last part probably could've gone without being shared, but I was scared shitless.  
She took me in for the first time, a knowing look of commiseration and a fierce determination I wouldn't have expected from a total stranger, and said, "well let's start with the basics, then. My name is Feyre, what's yours?"  
"I'm Kat." She smiled gently at me and reached for my arm again. I let her help me away from the wall, until I remembered my initial plan. "Oh! you don't have to see me home, I was just wondering if you had a phone I could borrow? Mine doesn't have any service and-" I cut myself off at the look of confusion on her face.  
"I don't know what you're talking about I'm sorry, a phone?" She said this with such sincerity that I knew she wasn't messing with me. I felt that all too familiar panic rise up in my core. I was not about to lose it on this very kind woman who wanted to help. I breathed. Just like I had practiced a thousand times. So well practiced apparently that I didn't even realize I had closed my eyes until I opened them to find her looking at me with the same look from before.  
Instead of panicking, I needed information. Facts are always concrete. I asked, "what do you see over on that stoop?" I indicated to the group of green scaled creatures that I had written off as a bad trip before.  
She looked confused at the change of subject, but responded, "The tree Nymphs? They really are harmless even if they look like they may steal your jewels." She added a knowing smirk at the end of the statement, and that was the final straw. She thought I was in on the joke. A joke about green scaly Nymphs wanting to steal my jewels, not jewelry, Jewels.  
Feyre must have seen my panic at the statement and asked incredibly carefully, "You said you needed to get home Kat, where exactly is home?"  
"Boston", I said in a voice much smaller than I normally ever used. I could see it in her face and I knew the answer already. I wasn't in Boston anymore.  
I couldn't handle the idea of being completely alone in this new world where wood nymphs existed, and who knew what else, so I pleaded with Feyre instead, who had become my lifeline in under 10 minutes. "Please don't leave me alone."  
"Oh girl I would never do that," she was clearly trying to lighten the mood as she nudged her hip against my own. "I was actually just thinking about how much my husband and his brothers would love to hear your whole story, and preferably over some breakfast, would you like to walk me home instead?" She smiled at me and I knew I had caught the luckiest break of my life stopping her on the street. Right after the unluckiest break in ending up here in the first place.  
I returned her smile as well as I could and took her outstretched arm for support.  
As we turned to walk down the street I admitted to Feyre, "I'm sure your husband is wonderful if he saves damsels in distress half as well as you do."  
She snorted at the joke and said, "between him and his brothers? I'm honestly surprised there is a single damsel left in this world."  
I started to feel my lips rising in a smile when I realized I wasn't a damsel from this world. I really wasn't in Boston anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

We continued walking down narrow streets filled with, people? Creatures?  
I settled on referring to them as beings to myself because that felt less judgmental while also acknowledging that this was 100% batshit crazy. Feyre didn't say much as we carried on, except to point out a few landmarks so I could, as she joked, "Avoid the whole, 'waking up in an alley thing.'" I appreciated her sincerity, and now that my brain was working on acclimating to this bizarre turn of events, I knew my main focus had to be on facts.  
Fact: I had woken up this morning, taken a shower, made coffee, fed Toulouse, locked my door and left my apartment.  
Fact: I had to walk through a construction zone under those scaffolding platforms.  
Fact: I woke up in an alley.  
Fact: Tree nymphs are a thing.  
Ok, so facts started calming me down less toward the end of my mental list.  
"Kat?" Feyre woke me up out of my miserable reverie to point up a beautiful garden pathway to a townhouse. "This is it. Are you ready to meet everyone or would you prefer if I kick them out for a little while? I will say though, if anyone has answers to how you ended up here, it's them"  
I really didn't want to kick anybody out of there own home, but it occurred to me VERY suddenly that there was no guarantee that these men would look human. My unbelievable desire to never be an inconvenience had me nodding my head, affirming I was ready. Feyre gave a nod of her head and led me the rest of the way to the front door.  
She unlocked it, gave it a stronger nudge with her hip and revealed a warm and inviting space. I don't know why, but I had expected a barrage of greeting immediately upon entering, but all I heard was laughter coming from down the hall. Of course, they don't have phones, how in the world would they know our plans ahead of time.  
"Ah Feyre, it took you fucking long enough, Rhys wouldn't let us eat until we could have a 'family meal'. That's not acceptable for breakfast"  
"Cass, shut up. Drink your coffee and shut up. We have new company."  
A grumbled, "Since when did I try to impress new company?" came from the first voice.  
Well at least they talked like all the sets of brothers I had ever known. Throughout this battle, Feyre and I walked down the hall to turn into what I realized was the kitchen, and I stopped short.  
Brothers my ass. These men looked like they could rip apart my body limb from limb without a thought, and to top it off I'd probably say thank you. They were that intimidating and that attractive. Not to mention they looked like they could go from a courtroom to a battlefield as their day to night look. The most elegant looking one stood up and kissed Feyre on the head. Ok so that's her husband, that just left the other two to size up. Well, the one with shaggy hair tied back reminded me of every frat boy I'd ever had the displeasure of knowing, so my guess was he was the one bitching about breakfast. Not to mention, he was sizing me up and when he finished his appraisal of me from head to toe, he smirked. The third was so still I would have thought he was intimidated by me, if I didn't know any better. But I almost lost my shit all over again when he turned his attention towards a literally shadow, dismissed it, and then went back to boring his eyes through me. Ok, so I was either a mystery they all wanted to solve, or lunch. And not in the fun way.  
Feyre finally noticed the off-putting tension in the room and started with, "Welllll ok guys, cool it. This is Kat. She's already had quite the day and that's without breakfast at all Cassian. Kat this one is Cassian," She indicated to the one I had pinned as a frat boy, "and you can call him Cass the Pain in my Ass if you would like." Cassian snorted and finally started to put food on his plate, then said through a full mouth, "Ah, but Feyre darling" he dragged it out like a taunt, "whatever would you do without me all over your-"  
"Enough Cass, eat and you'll be less likely to make me want to punch you before lunch. I'm Rhysand, but you can call me Rhys, all these idiots do." He indicated to the room around him, and that only left the dark one. He stood up, and he must have been at least 6'4 because I would give him nothing more than a foot of height on my 5'4 frame. The shadows followed him from his seat until he stood directly in front of me and stuck out his hand.  
"And I am Azriel," I went to shake his hand, but he caught it and looked a little confused before bringing it to his lips, "and you can call me Az." What the actual fuck. No one has ever kissed my hand before, why on earth would they? We don't live in Pride and Prejudice, but maybe he's a fan of Mr. Darcy, or maybe this is just a custom? I risked a glance at Feyre to see if she understood what was happening, but both her and Rhys' faces were slack, jaws open. Well, great, so this was not normal behavior for this Darcy wannabe.  
"Rhysand, Rhys, Cassian, Cass, Azriel, Az. What Feyre, they don't just call you Fey?" Cassian burst out laughing and I realized the wings on his chair were not on his chair when they flared out a little. They were on his body. Attached. This man had wings. And as Azriel's shadows cleared a little with the joke I realized he did too. I took an involuntary step back and figured just how long it would take me to get back outside, when I looked at Feyre and discovered with her hair pulled back, she had pointy-ass ears. Oh fuck no.  
"The joke, Kat, is that myself and Rhys are Fae, well Rhys is half-fae. That is the type of being we are. Cass and Az are Illyrians, so they are winged, yes." I knew it was probably rude but I could not stop staring at Feyre's ears as she spoke. I managed to sputter out, "Well do you know what a human is, cause I'm pretty sure I'm still that."  
A roar of laughter. They were laughing at me, like I was the crazy one. And while I was still terrified, now I was also angry. And hurt. And that combination for me often leads to tears. I tried to not let them show, but a few stole down my cheeks that I furiously brushed away. Azriel was at my side without my realizing he had moved at all, and made to reach for my arm, but I yanked out of his reach and sat down in a chair. I did not need to faint on top of everything else.  
Feyre, thankfully, pulled out the chair next to me and no one took the spot on my other side. Cassian was now looking between me and Azriel, clearly trying to catch his brother's eye, but oh no, those eyes were still unflinchingly on me. Creepy. I tried to ignore it and asked Feyre while she put some bread on her plate and then mine, "Clearly you know about humans," no one laughed this time, only sat at attention and listened to me, even Cassian, "And clearly I don't know jack shit about your world, so any thoughts on how this happened?" I tried not to look at anyone but Feyre, but I caught the gleam of surprise in Cassian's eye that made it seem like he was impressed. Whatever, if he didn't want to make a good impression on me then I certainly don't have to return the favor. I rolled my eyes and he chuckled.  
Rhys piped in at that, "While we may fancy ourselves to be superior beings," he shot a pointed look at Cassian who put his hands up in mock defeat, "You are actually a bit of a mystery to us"  
My heart sank at the realization that they had just as much an idea of what happened to me as I did. None. Before I could spiral all the way down, Azriel chipped in with,  
"But we have a theory, that's what we were discussing when you two got here. We have heard rumors but never seen it ourselves. We believe you to be a World Walker."


	3. Chapter 3

I looked around the table, waiting for an explanation, but they all were looking at me expectantly.

"What? Do you think I knew about this before I landed in your freak show?"

Rhysand started to speak, but Azriel shut him down, "First of all, in this instance I would consider you falling into a different world as more of a freak show." I harrumphed and crossed my arms, and at that a glimmer of amusement shone in Az's eyes.

"As we said before, we have heard rumors from long ago that beings were able to cross between the boundaries of one world into another, however, we have never heard of somebody doing so accidentally" he finished.

"Well I can assure you I did not mean to drop my ass down the rabbit hole and end up having tea with the mad hatter..s." Ok, so I was starting to spiral, but if nobody had answers then I needed to find somebody who did. "Is there anybody at all in this world that can help me figure out why and how I'm here?"

"Maybe Amren?" Cassian suggested over the rim of his mug, but Rhys waved him and the idea off.

"I asked her already, but she said many of her memories died with her previous form, and some other unpleasant things about not bothering her in the mornings." Cassian scoffed at Rhys' words and mumbled, "Varian was the best and worst thing to ever happen to this group"

"Are you all related?" I blurted it out, but I couldn't help my curiosity at the terms they were using, especially since Feyre had said they were brothers. I said as much and Feyre smiled.

"You know, I asked the same question, and the answer is no. These three grew up together but they share no blood. Cassian and Az could be though, right?" She whispered the thought conspiratorially and I just nodded my head. I was getting nowhere with this except deeper into whatever game they were playing.

Rhys stood up and extended his arm to Feyre, "We have a meeting this morning with Kier, unfortunately, and that is one we absolutely cannot blow off. Kat would you like to stay here until we can return?" I had no idea. How was I supposed to help myself in this situation when my lifeline was about to walk out the door? I needed answers to my questions, and I needed somewhere to start. I was studying to prosecute criminal trials, not solve them, but evidence was always a foundation of a strong case.

"You have all said that there have been other cases involving my...situation. Are there any records of such cases? Or at least histories of what has happened in your world? I think contextualizing myself may help me see the bigger picture." They were all quiet for a moment, and I thought I caught Cassian jut his chin in my direction, indication me to Azriel, and giving him some kind of encouragement.

Sure enough, "Well I needed to go back up to the house to collect a few things and...visit the library" Cassian gave Azriel the equivalent of a thumbs up in his look. Great, I was being set up. "if you wanted to accompany me? I can show you some of our more abridged histories, and the documents claiming the previous world walkers." I considered the offer and my position and knew I would accept, but I also took a moment to consider the man. He was incredibly tall, but even more than that he was built like a warrior. His eyes pierced into my soul with their changing hazel color, and his cheekbones and brows only accentuated them. He didn't look like a man who often stumbled over his words, much less need encouragement from others to find them. I wondered why he couldn't seem to take his remarkable eyes off of me. I was simple. An athlete, sure, and my green eyes were by far my best feature, but I couldn't help but to feel like he was looking deeper than my physical characteristics, and something he saw intrigued him.

"Yes, thank you. I think gathering some facts and context would help a lot." Azriel looked relieved I had agreed but honestly what other choice did I have?

"Alright then! Kat, if you need me for any reason just tell Az and he can get word to us. Otherwise, Cass you're training the new Velaris guard today?" He nodded once to answer Feyre's question, and then stood up and headed for the door. He swung his head back into the kitchen and said, "wish me luck" with a wink directed at me, and after a moment, one directed at Azriel as well.

Rhys was nudging Feyre towards the door as well. "Ok then, Az, you can fly Kat up to the house and the library, and while you're up there why don't you set her up in one of the rooms. She'll need a place to stay while she's with us." After Azriel gave a curt nod, and Feyre gave me a wave, she and Rhys disappeared. Just vanished.

I whirled around on Azriel. "Ok I'm sorry what the fuck was that!?" He had the audacity to chuckle at my reaction and I was getting more annoyed with becoming a source of amusement for all of these freaking people! And then I zeroed in on part of what Rhys had said.

"Wait, what did Rhys mean when he said fly me up?" The smile was still on Azriel's face as he offered me his arm and led us up the stairs to a large door that led to the roof. When we were firmly on top of a fucking building he answered me.

"He meant exactly what he said, sweetheart, I promise I won't drop you but this is the first step to getting your answers." I suddenly realized it was just the two of us, and I couldn't turn to Feyre to help get me out of this. If they were so intent on making fun of me for not understanding their ways then I would do the opposite. As in I wouldn't freak out about a man carrying me in his arms and flying me to wherever we were going.

I looked over my shoulder, and then had to tilt my head up to look him in the eyes which matched my defiance, "Then why are we still on the ground?"

He was surprised for only a moment, until he accepted the challenge to the game I was playing and swung me up in his arms, with one arm under my knees and another around my back. I instinctively swung my arm around his neck and his face dropped the mockery, to be replaced with utter astonishment. I didn't have time to process the hidden smile start to peak through until after he launched us into the air and I screamed. Not a cute, "oh my gosh, don't drop me, you beautiful man" scream, a "holy fucking shit this is it and there might as well be a serial killler right behind me" scream. Either way Azriel threw his head back with barked laughter. I buried my face in his chest to keep from having to watch the ground get smaller, and after a moment we seemed to level out.

Azriel brushed my hair back from my ear "Sweetheart, this is my favorite view of the entire city. Look." I braced myself and peaked my eyes open over his shoulder, and wow was he right. The whole city was bisected by a river that literally sparkled. Once again, he had lulled me into a sense of security because I didn't even realize we had landed until he tried to put me down. He was actively trying to not freak me out. I hastily backed up from his arms once I was sure my legs could support me, clearing my throat and turning to look at where we were. It was a beautiful building carved out of the stone face of a mountain, but the furniture was all plush and lavish. It was an extremely elegant place while still being comfortable.

Azriel watched me take in the large glass doors as he went to open one. "There is a room down the hall from mine that I think would be perfect for you. Cassian's is directly above it."

"You two live here?"

"We travel often for our duties, so when we're in Velaris we remain at the house to avoid pesky things like rent." Rent. Well at least some things were the same in any world. "Cassian is handling issues at the war camps right now though, so I should be able to spend more time at home." And then there were war camps. There goes normal. I sighed and glanced back at Azriel from where he still stood by the door.

"Lead the way."

He marched us through the halls until we reached a hallway with doors more of the height I was used to. 7 feet instead of 15. He opened the door for me once again, and the room that came into view stole my breath. The bed was clearly the main focus, as it seemed bigger than a California King. My double bed crammed into a 115 sq ft room had nothing on any of this. The bed was make with silk sheets and a duvet that had been embroidered with images of the night sky in metallic thread. I ran my fingers over it and ventured to look around the rest of the room. There was a sitting area with plush chairs situated right next to a fireplace, but in front of a massive window, that as I got closer I realized had no glass in it, but a gentle breeze came wafting through. Magic. This was all magic. We were high up enough that it should be cold air coming in but it wasn't. I finished my circle and found Azriel standing exactly where he had been before with his hand on the doorknob.

"The bathing room is right through there," He indicated a smaller door I had completely skipped over in my reverie, "If you would like to bathe, feel free there are clothes in the wardrobe that should fit you as well. It may take me some time to retrieve the books from the library, but I'll be back as soon as I can be." He seemed like he had finished but he tacked on, "Is there anything else I can do for you Kat?"

I shook my head. "You, and your friends, have already done so much. I don't know what else I could ask for." Surprisingly, that was true. I had no idea where I was, but I was safe. None of the men had tried to intimidate or scare me, instead they had done the opposite and tried to make me feel comfortable. I felt the tears begin to rise in my throat, and I really didn't want to cry again today, but it was too late, everything that had happened burst to the surface. This time when Azriel appeared beside me, and led me to one of the big chairs I allowed it. He guided me down gently and went to take the seat opposite mine. I grabbed his hand to keep him close, and as I did I felt that his hand was severely burned and had scarred over. He perched on one of the armrests and began to whisper calming words into my hair.

"It's ok, sweetheart, it's ok. You didn't ask for this. You didn't ask for any of this. It's not fair, I know that, I know, I know. It's going to be ok, we're going to do everything we can. I know, I know." Somehow listening to him speak, a part of me deeply understood that he did know. And not just the stranger in a strange land bit, but so much of the pain I had lived through. My crying hadn't slowed, but I leaned my head back to look up at him. His eyes were full of understanding, as his other hand continued stroking my hair. I was about to turn my face back into his chest when he suddenly bolted upright. My head hit the side of the chair, but Azriel was already walking back toward the door like a cornered animal.

"I'll bring the books as soon as I can sweet-, nevermind... maybe take a bath, not that you smell bad, just sometimes the water-fucking hell" he slammed one of his hands into the doorway on his way out. "Shit, day one, first day, since when did that happen in the last 500 gods damned years. Fuck, now I need to find Cass..." He continued mumbling down the hall but his words finally trickled off once he started talking about Cassian. It definitely wasn't his intention, but I certainly was not crying anymore. Once I picked my jaw up off the floor, I could not stop laughing. This cool, calm, and collected death machine just ran out of my room muttering to himself? The more I thought about it, the harder I laughed.

I decided Az was on the right track with a bath, so I grabbed some clothes and went to turn on the water, thinking only about the giant who just stumbled out of my room, and smiling the whole time.


	4. Chapter 4

In the bath, I considered all of the questions I needed answered that had somehow slipped my mind, and I needed to ask Az. Not to mention what the fuck happened when he left. Thinking about that interaction made me snort and I decided it was very much time for me to get out of the bath. Who knew when he would come back and I didn't think he'd be able to breath if he came back and I was butt naked. Hell, he may never make eye contact with me again.

I threw on a lovely purple chunky sweater, and a pair of black leggings that were remarkably similar to my athletic ones from home. Once I was dressed I had no idea what to do with myself. I didn't want to wander, but also there was literally nothing else in this room, and Azriel had been gone for over an hour. I decided the best use of my time was to try and get some sleep.

I don't even remember lying down, but the next thing I knew the door to the bedroom slammed open. I swung my head towards the hulking shape in my doorway.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realize you were sleeping." Azriel stood in the hall looking into the room, his arms full of books. "I have the relevant texts that should give you some knowledge of our world, but the world walker information is going to take slightly longer to retrieve. I expect them in the next few days."

He was acting strange, but maybe he was still as embarrassed as I was about my crying on him. I lifted myself from the bed and crossed the room back to that small table by the window and indicated for Az to place the books down. The only thing I could think to say was, "how long was I asleep?"

He made his way across the room and deposited the stack on the table. "A few hours, but you didn't miss anything. Cassian has come back to the house, and he's training on the roof. Don't worry if it sounds like someone is hurt, they'll recover." It should've been a joke, but the cadence he stated it with implied that people were definitely getting hurt on the...roof?

"Will you help me look through all this?" He hesitated slightly, but then he pressed his lips together and gave me a curt nod and slid into the chair opposite mine.

"I don't know how much assistance I'll be able to offer, these are general histories of our world."

"That's ok, I appreciate the company, plus I had some questions to ask you." I said this with no ulterior meaning, but his head snapped up and a hard determination lit up his eyes. I couldn't help feeling like I had crossed some kind of line, but I had absolutely no idea what that would be.

"About...what exactly?"

"Um, really just context for you and your family, but if you don't want to talk about it that's fine. Or if there's anything you think I should know about socially I would appreciate that information too." I sounded like one of my history professors, but hell, I guess I needed to approach this as if I had traveled back in time to a place that I knew nothing about. I mean, magic, wings, wood nymphs, I'm sure they had some social customs that I would fuck up sooner or later. He was still looking at me, unblinking and rolling his lower lip between his teeth as if he was making up his mind about something. 

"There are... a few things that exist here that don't in your world, as far as I can tell. Family is the same here, Mor who you haven't met yet, is Rhysand's cousin. And Feyre's sisters, Nesta and Elain, also live in the city, so you'll meet them at dinner. Rhys and Feyre are mates."

"Mates? Like soulmates." I waited for a response, but he once again worried his lips together. Ok, so there was more to this mate thing. "Az, I just want to know what I can, but you don't have to be the one to tell me. I can go find Cassian?" I did not particularly want to go find Cassian but Azriel was acting so strangely and uncomfortably that I wanted to give him a way out.

"No. I will explain, I just want to do it justice." He pushed himself up out of his chair and spread his wings to their full length before tucking them back in, as if he was taking a deep breath. "Rhys and Feyre are mates, and we think Cassian and Nesta are as well, but they may just genuinely hate each other." He shook his head and began working a rut in front of the fireplace. "The mating bond involves base instinct that stems from a higher power of some kind that drove people to produce the most powerful offspring. There is a supernatural connection between these two people, and the mating bond is incredibly powerful. In the best cases, there is a soulmate connection, yes. Love. Mates are equal in every way. And in some other cases it is not as positive an experience. The bond snaps into place often for the male first, and most often snaps for the female during intimacy. So the pursuit is on the male, I suppose." He collapsed back into the chair and made intense eye contact with my socked feet.

He looked like he'd been thrown out of a plane. I assumed he was talking about his own mate, and clearly she didn't know he had experienced this first snap. He looked so dejected I wanted to help, but let's be honest I had no context to handle this.

"What? Is it me then?" I laughed at the joke, but... wasn't it a joke? It had to be a joke. Nonono no way. I stared at my hands because his silence was indicative enough that I didn't want to look at his face. His hand appeared over mine, scarred and brutalized atop my smooth one.

"Sweetheart," I still couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes. Equal in every way? I fucking hope not. That would entail his immense pain, cause I definitely have my fair share. And this is just one more thing I'm not going to be able to escape. Mates. If it doesn't work out, he owns me. Kaden already taught me to never trust completely, and showed me the consequences of doing just that. "Sweetheart, please look at me." Finally, I flicked my eyes to his, and once they connected, there was no looking away.

"I would never, ever force you into something. I wasn't planning on telling you for a while yet, as I have no idea how any of this happened in one day, or any day. I...I can't explain it." He raised the hand that wasn't in mine to cup my cheek, and I couldn't resist leaning my face further into the warmth.

Hearing his words and watching his face, I felt my body begin to react, with my stomach fluttering but that quickly moved lower. This was the man I was supposed to be with forever, apparently. His words found a way to ease my fears, as if he already knew what they were in my head. Intimacy? Well, that would be easy to accomplish. I wanted to kiss him. Fuck, I wanted way more than that.

"Intimacy?" He tensed, and I realized that that was the first thing I'd said since this whole revelation period had began. "So, theoretically, I should also be able to feel this snap before I commit or however you all term it. If we're together?"

"Yes, from what I understand from others who have been fortunate enough to find their mates." He didn't seem to like this train of conversation, but shit if I cared, no part of me wanted him to know or feel something about me that I had no access to. If we were meant to be bonded, then I was gonna find out. I don't do ambiguity. And beyond that, I hadn't had sex in six months so I wouldn't mind. Even if this ended up being false, or not the bond he thought, then we'd have had a good time and we'd have more information. I couldn't help imagining Az in bed because I think if he got past his gentleness, this man could absolutely take me. Fuck I should just get on my knees right now, cause if my words couldn't convince him, then my mouth certainly could. The things his mouth could do. The things his cock could do.

"Kiss me." He was taken aback, but the courtroom has taught me enough for me to know how to express don't fuck with me well without a word. He wasn't gonna do it, I could tell. He licked his lips, so he was thinking about it, but that final hurdle he felt like he would be taking advantage of me. Maybe this man could read my mind.

But no, because if he was reading my mind then he would know my primary thoughts were about his dick. Which was making itself known by the outline becoming more defined on his pants. If I could turn Az on this much without ever touching him then, damn I really wanted to get my hands on his body.

I stood, but kept his hand in mine as I took to two steps with him to his chair. I put each of my thighs on the outside of his and slid my body down his front, so that through his pants his cock was positioned right between my legs. As I moved back along him and then back flush against his body, he let out a low groan and finally grabbed my ass with strong fingers to keep me in place, right where he wanted me.

"Don't tease me. I always win games like this." He finally had lust in his eyes, but I knew the first move would be mine. Even on his lap, I had to tilt my head up to meet his lips and when I did, I was burning. I was on fire.

So was he.


	5. Chapter 5

Once our lips connected, I felt as though I wouldn't ever be able to stop kissing him. His tongue teased my bottom lip and I opened fully for him so we could wholly devour each other. I had my arms around his neck and slid one up into his hair to grip the strands and pull his head back. I lifted myself up on my knees so I could look down into his eyes while my lips hovered an inch away from his mouth, and I smirked. He didn't want to kiss me to start with? Then I wasn't going to make this easy on him, and his throbbing cock pinned against my thigh told me enough about how much of an effect my teasing was having.

"I thought you would have heeded my warning," my brain had to race to understand what he was talking about. Before I could figure it out, I was pinned under him on the carpet in front of the fireplace with that same cock pushed against my stomach. We were wearing far too much clothing. "I always win." He kissed me hard, and I felt his hands slide under my sweater on my lower back. I was reminded that I couldn't find any underwear or bras in the drawers earlier and I pushed my breasts into his chest, encouraging him to do something about it. His thumbs skimmed the sides of my stomach, and achingly slowly ventured higher until a knuckle brushed against my bare chest.

"No undergarments?" His eyebrow quirked up as he bent to kiss my neck between my jaw and my ear and huskily whispered, "I think we should keep it that way." I drew a sharp breath and arched my body into his, for which I earned a groan from Az and more kisses down my jaw around my collarbone. I reached for the bottom hem of my sweater and tried to wriggle out of it from under him, but he took it in his hands and removed it in one motion. He kissed me lightly, then looked down at me and my top half bared before him. "You're beautiful," he said and I simultaneously felt a burst of cool air across my nipples, making them instantly harden. He smirked, and I realized his shadows had been the ones to cross my chest. 

Az lowered his hips between my legs and latched his mouth onto one of my nipples making heat pool through my core, but then that cool chill was back attacking my other breast. The heat between my legs only intensified at the dueling sensations and I couldn't stop a whimper from escaping me. He licked along the underside of my breast and stopped along my breastbone to look up at me from hooded hazel eyes. The teasing and playfulness was gone, and in its place was a desperate heat that I was sure was reflected in my own gaze. His shadows licked up my sides sending a shiver through my body that almost crested when they once again clamped on my nipples. I couldn't stop another groan. His face was once again above mine when he said, "Never forget that I'll win." Yeah, he probably would, but that didn't mean I couldn't play.

My hand shot between us and I gripped his cock hard. He blew out a huff of air and his face went taught but he managed to get out through clenched teeth, "not fair." I began to run my hand up and down his bulge. I needed to grip his cock without clothing, taste it, feel it inside me. Need. This was an all consuming need. Was this that snap he had been talking about? 

I threw my arms around his neck once more and slid them down his back where they made contact with the base of his wings. I gasped again, but this time for a completely different reason. I had forgotten. In my heat and need I had forgotten that this male wasn't human. It wasn't like that offended me, but I really didn't even know how Illyrians fucked. Clearly well, and clearly passionately, but first of all, what to do with the wings, and second of all, were their dicks normal? From what I had felt through his pants, Azriel was definitely bigger than anything I'd taken before, but that certainly wasn't a bad thing, just something I would need to prepare myself for. Preparation would be more important than I had thought.

"Sweetheart?" Azriel had stopped everything he was doing and was leaning back on his heels. Also, I think, one of his shadows nudged the sweater I had been wearing closer to my hands. He must have sensed my absence in thought and taken it to mean something awful. I came onto my knees in front of him and smiled. I kissed the corner of his mouth and said, "I think I may need to get some pointers from Feyre about the wings, plus maybe we should do this when Cassian's not on the roof right above this room with permanently open windows?" He chuckled and shook his head, "I'll send word to Feyre that you would appreciate her company, I'm sure she prefers yours over Kier's. If you would, please don't yet mention this bond to Feyre. Asking her to keep it a secret from Rhys would be unfair, but I do not want him to be involved until we know for certain." I understood that sentiment.

"Of course, and thank you for the books," I gestured over my shoulder towards the forgotten books, "maybe later you could come back and help me search them?"

A smile appeared in his eyes as he nodded and tossed my sweater to me. I threw it over my head. A ghost of a shadow, that reminded me of a child, seemed to play through my hair as I rearranged it. I held my hand up, fingers splayed, and it danced through my fingers until it was coiled around each finger like a set of black brass knuckles. Unlike the cool shadows from before, this one seemed warm, as if it was looking to me for comfort.

I looked towards Az with a grin on my face, but that fell as soon as I saw his eyes. He looked bewildered, and maybe even a bit scared.

"I-I have never-even with the king and Cassian... She wants to stay with you." I could only assume he meant the shadow. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could find the right words, Azriel had walked into the hall and blown the door shut on a magical wind. I assumed, cause I still had no idea how magic worked here. It worked differently in every world right? I lifted my hand and marveled at my shadow companion.

"I don't suppose you have any answers for me? Or a name?" I huffed a laugh to myself, fully appreciating the very possible reality that I was actually losing my mind and talking to a shadow. Feyre better have some answers, even if not about me, then about the world that I clearly still understood nothing about. 

But Azriel, the person who would have the most answers about him? That would be Cassian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thanks for all the Kudos and comments, I love getting them and I'll do my best to respond! I'm also going to try to be more regular in posting, but you may get another chapter sooner to make up for it...who knows;) I have also been considering adding different POVs, but what would y'all think about that? Lemme know :)


	6. Chapter 6

In order to find Cassian, or anyone, I would have to leave my new bedroom. I double checked that my appearance did not give anything away of what Azriel and I had been doing, and then I slipped into the hallway. For a house this big, I would expect there to be servants or maids milling about, but there was nobody around at all that I could see. A loud clatter from down the hall interrupted that thought.

I made my way toward the commotion and stopped in front of an open door. There was a woman standing with her back to me ripping through the contents of a bookcase. Angry seemed like a light word for how she was ripping apart the contents, and somehow I got the feeling this was why the servants had made themselves scarce. At the same moment I made the decision to leave her be, she turned toward me with silver rage in her eyes.

"Who the fuck are you." I expected her to yell, but the calm she spoke with was honestly much scarier. And as she made her way toward me I should have looked for an excuse, but that's never really been my style.

"My name is Kat. Who are you?"

"You are human." It wasn't a question, and she had ignored mine so I didn't feel the need to answer. She circled me like a predator, sizing me up and stopped in front of me, no more than a foot away. "And you do not belong."

I jerked back at that cold and calculating statement, but she was right. I didn't belong here and I had no good reason for snooping around the halls of a place I had no idea about. Not ten minutes ago I had been about to fuck a man with wings for god's sake. She looked like a predator before, and I then realized it was a bird of prey, when she cocked her head to the side and clicked her tongue, considering me. Her eyes darted to the shadow still wrapped around my fingers, and raised her gaze to mine once more.

"Nesta. You may call me Nesta." She had made a decision then. And thankfully I had passed the unspoken test as I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Wait, Nesta, Feyre's sister, and possibly Cassian's mate? The same Cassian that I compared to a fratboy? This woman did not strike me as the person to fall for a Chad. She turned her back to me, making her way back to the bookcase without dismissing me or inviting me in.

"So Nesta, then. I was hoping someone could tell me how to get to the roof? I'm looking for Cassian." At the mention of Cassian's name her shoulders stiffened, but she didn't turn back toward me, instead speaking to the wall, "you do not belong, and so he will try to make you fit in. I would not seek his advice if I were you."

"So should I seek yours instead?" At this she turned around, and I expected her eyes to reflect that glimmering anger, but instead all I saw was a look of a woman resigned. It was like looking in the mirror. She gestured to two chairs that mirrored the ones in my room, and I crossed the threshold into her space, something that seemed not many people did. I took a spot in one chair, but she remained standing and said, "I have no answers, only experience of living in a world no one could hope to understand. Cassian thinks I am his to protect, that's what they do, protect women like us. Even when women like us are perfectly capable of protecting ourselves. I am not his, in any capacity."

I don't know what to say to that, so instead I said nothing, thinking instead on her words. "I don't know this world at all," as I started to speak, Nesta sat on the very edge of her chair, back as straight as a rod, "but I am inclined to say that my world and yours are not so different after all." We were both quiet, looking at each other until I broke the tension to say, "except for that mating bond business that is."

Nesta scoffed, and I expected her to throw me out into the hall, maybe with her mind, but instead her eyes flickered with genuine amusement. "I am not his mate. He may not know why yet, but I have felt nothing of the supernatural sort my sister has described. I'm assuming you met Feyre or Rhysand, or both and they roped you into this house?" She looked to me and once I nodded, she shook her head slightly and continued, "There was no snap. He protected me when no one else did, and that is a hard thing to look past, but it is also the foundation of unequal relationships." 

I could never convey to Nesta the accuracy of her statement because that is exactly what had happened with me and Kayden. I must have looked stunned because she scoffed again, and this time rose from her chair with no amusement in sight.

"Cassian would never hurt someone intentionally, but we would hurt each other forever. He needs someone, but not me. Follow the hallway, take a left, and you'll find a staircase that will take you to the roof." She turned back to the bookcase, and this time I'm truly dismissed. That is until she called out, "I will see you at dinner."

***

I followed Nesta's instructions, and soon enough, I had emerged into the fading sunlight of dusk to find Cassian throwing knives at a target. Before he even turned around he said, "are you here to practice or be practiced on?" It took me a second to understand, and by the time I did, a knife had already travelled through the air an inch from my head.

"If you're going to throw knives at me, at least give me a fucking haircut while you're at it. I could use a trim." I expected him to laugh, but instead all I got was a smirk when he turned back toward his target and went to retrieve his knives.

"Well, I highly doubt you came up here to talk me into giving you a haircut, so what's up kitty Kat?" I managed to resist rolling my eyes at the nickname, mostly because, standing on the roof, I realized I didn't really have a plan on what to ask him.

"Umm, have you talked to Azriel?" Smooth. He did not manage to contain his eyeroll, but he said, "no, I actually haven't but he basically screamed in my head across the city telling me to get my ass back here, so I'm surprised he wasn't immediately on me when I landed. Have you discovered anything?" Ha. Have we? I don't know if we've discovered anything worth telling, especially to Cassian, so I tried to change tactics.

"He screamed in your head?"

"Yeah, something about the shadows allows him to talk to us. Not like Feyre and Rhys, but kinda similar."

"In your heads? He can speak in your minds? And so can Feyre and Rhys? And Nesta? That would actually make sense with Nesta..." I studied the ground, trying to work through everything rushing through my head, including that most likely everyone I've met today has been inside my thoughts, seen my past, and knows all of my dark and terrible stories that I hide from everybody until I'm positive I won't see pity in their eyes. Even when I'm sure I won't, I always do. When I finally looked back up to meet Cassian's eyes, it seems as though equally as many thoughts are running through his brain. 

"Nesta is not a Daemati, what Feyre and Rhys are, nor is she a shadowsinger like Az, but she does know things. I have none of these abilities, so I promise you," At this he put a fist over his heart, "your secrets are yours to tell when you're with me." He bowed his head slightly, and only when he looked back up did I realize he was smirking. White hot rage started pumping through my body as I closed this distance between us in a heartbeat, and grabbed onto the pressure point in his shoulder, which earned a look of true shock from him, as he succumbed to his knees.

"You fucking asshole! It has been the most ridiculous day of my entire fucking life, everything is unbelievable, and you're making shit up to scare me! And then making fun of me for it!? I can't believe-" In a second I go from being in charge, standing above him to being pinned with a knife next to my head.

"Let me train you kitty Kat. We could have some real fun." I realized at that moment that he was straddling my hips, and he seemed to as well because his wings flared out a little. Shit. I still wasn't wearing a bra, and I'll blame it on the wind whipping around us, but my nipples were definitely getting hard. None of that means that I wasn't still pissed.

"Don't you dare threaten me." I hissed through my teeth as I looked up at him, and yet he still made no move to get off of me. Instead he leaned down so my chest was pushing against his, and whispered in ear, "I wasn't lying, they really can read your mind." And without breaking eye contact with me, he threw the knife from next to my head into the bullseye of the target across the roof. Then he stood up in one fluid motion and turned his back on me to once again to go attend to that fucking target. The pressure point isn't the only tricked I learned in self defense though.

Without having to get off the ground I kick both my legs out into the backs of his knees and he goes down like a stone, while I jump on top of him this time. He didn't realize I had grabbed one of his knives while he had been so unceremoniously sitting on me, and now I stabbed it into the ground next to his neck. "Maybe I don't need you to train me." I smirked down at him this time, and then, before I knew what was happening, I was pinned once again.

"Little tip, kitty Kat? Don't let go of your only weapon." He was flipping the knife between his fingers and I gave him my best scowl. With no other fun, self defense party tricks up my sleeves, I had two options. One, admit defeat, which has never been my strong suit, or try something unpracticed. Hell, the pressure point had worked earlier.

I reached up like I was about to pat him on the shoulder, call uncle and all that, when I swung my hand over his shoulder and grabbed the base of his wing. The noise I got for my efforts was not the grunt I had been anticipating. I was expecting a pain reaction, instead it sounded, and felt, if his lying on my stomach was any indication, that I had just grabbed his cock.

"Well, kitty Kat, that was uncalled for." He made no move to get off me and I started to try to wriggle out from under him. After another small grunt from Cassian, he finally moved, and I stood up, almost falling over in the process. "What the hell was that?" I tried to look accusing, but he looked a little like a puppy dog, and I couldn't keep a straight face. Instead, I burst out laughing. I knew I was gonna fuck something up eventually, and I guess it wasn't on the top of anybody's list to tell me that grabbing a man's wings was on the no-no zone list. After a second of staring at me, Cassian started chuckling too, and then full on belly laughing alongside me. "Nobody-nobody thought to tell me," I started to speak, but I was still wheezing through the fits of laughter, "it's a no-no zone, isn't it?" Cassian stopped laughing for a second and looked at me with an incredibly blank stare, and then fell down to his knees cackling once again. "What the fuck-what the fuck is a no-no zone, kitty Kat!?" He managed to bark out between fits of cackles.

"Like an erogenous zone? A sexy time part." He really can't contain his laughter, but I kept going. "I guess no one thought day one I would try sexually harass a member of your family." Still chuckling and with a wide grin, Cassian picked himself up off the ground and sauntered over to me, before wrapping me in a hug.

"I haven't laughed that hard in a long, long time Kat. I think I'm gonna like you." I could still feel the last of his laughter as I pulled away and looked him in the eyes. His face dropped some of the mocking that I've seen ever present when our eyes met, and he pulled me back into him as he whispered, "holy shit" into my hair. I pulled away again after a moment and gave him a questioning look but he offered no explanation, and instead pointed toward the door.

"You should go get cleaned up for dinner. I'll see you in a little bit kitty Kat." As I turned around I heard him repeat his "holy shit," but tacked onto the end was, "it was never Nesta."

Sheer will kept my legs moving forward because this time, I'm terrified I knew what he meant.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been so long and I am so sorry! Exams and the holidays made it nearly impossible to find time! For the next month I'll be able to post a bunch so hopefully I can make it up to all of you!!

Back in my room I snicked the door shut and slid down the back side of it until I could lay my forehead on my knees. What on earth was happening? Was I on earth, even? With the exception of maybe Nesta, everyone here had shown me unbelievable kindness, and yet nothing made sense and nothing was comfortable. I put my hands on the top of my head and felt a warm sort of tickling sensation slide down my spine.

Azriel's shadow. She was attempting to comfort me I supposed, and it worked well enough to get me to stand up and appraise myself in the mirror. The eyes that looked back at me were terrified. I should be going through hell and high water to make my way back home, but somehow I felt like there was more for me to do here. Maybe even more for me to do than there ever had been or would be back in Boston. I couldn't leave just yet, and that was probably for the best considering I had absolutely no idea how to make my way back anyway.

So, I had much more research to do tomorrow, and mates and mating bonds had quickly moved up the priority list because I wasn't so much a fool who wouldn't do background research outside of the one who was claiming we had this bond. So back to square one: the library. But tomorrow, tonight I had to make an appearance at family dinner, which the soft glow of sunset coming through my open windows indicated would be taking place sooner rather than later.

Call me vain, but after the revelations of the day I wanted to make a strong impression, so I took a breath and tore my attention away from my sallow reflection. The wardrobe had a dozen beautiful dresses all hanging up, and all apparently in my size, so I stuck with the lilac color I had donned earlier in the day and selected a lovely flowing gown. The low neckline must be a fashion in this place because the deep V neck of the dress came to a point around my belly button, and after I checked, it was clear every dress in my closet was fashioned in the same way. Combined with the long slit up the leg all the way to my hip I quickly realized that underwear would be impossible, and I would have to be extremely careful not to cross my legs in the wrong way. I grabbed a pair of heels from the floor of the closet and strapped my feet into them like I was going into battle. Sizing myself up in the mirror one more time, I pinched my cheeks to add some color and braced myself for the evening. With one last glance, I tore my gaze away once again and strode out of the room.

***

It didn't take very long to figure out where dinner would be happening. As soon as I turned a few corners I heard the same lively conversation I had intruded on this morning. The distinct voices of Cassian, Rhysand, and Feyre were carrying through the halls and I followed the noise until I came out into a gorgeous dining room with the same enchanted archways open to the sky, but providing only a warm breeze. Around the table conversation had abruptly stopped as Cassian and Azriel both stood when they saw I had entered, which earned them a strong side eye from Rhys, but Feyre only smirked.

"Come and sit Kat, you look lovely," Feyre indicated to the only open seat at the table, directly between the two men still standing and staring at me. I made my way across the room and noticed there were a couple people sitting whom I had not yet met. Two incredibly beautiful women, a blonde and a brunette who sat on either side of Nesta.

"Hello, My name is Morrigan, but-"

"I can call you Mor?" The blonde looked slightly taken aback at my interruption while I, as well as the warriors, settled ourselves into our seats, but I hastily explained, "I learned this morning with the introductions that almost all of you use shortened nicknames."

Mor nodded in a wisened and long suffering sort of way and sighed, "and let me guess, these two idiots found a way to make fun of you?" I expected her to be indicating Cassian and Azriel, but it was Rhys she had grouped with Cass, while Az just shook his head with a small smile.

"We did not!" Rhys interjected full of mock offense. "I will have you know, Mor, that I actually explained the joke to dear Kat here! I am a gentleman!"

"I am not, and so you are correct our lovely Morrigan, I did make fun of Kat" Cassian added with yet another smirk I was coming to realize was a signature of his. I now turned my attention to the brunette on the other side of Nesta who had to be her sister, Elain.

Elain, however, was looking at me with haunted eyes as I started to introduce myself, "You must be Elain, my name is-"

"Kat, your name is Kat and you have come." The voice she spoke with did not seem to match the delicate woman sitting across from me. I threw my eyes around the table and everyone had gone very, very still.

"Elain," Feyre said incredibly gently while Nesta glared dangerously at her. "Has she come to serve a purpose?"

The table seemed to hold its breath as Elain shuddered and opened her eyes once more.

"She has come to decide. Azriel is no longer an individual in the world of shadows," it was Azriel's turn to shudder next me and I laid a gentle hand on his knee, earning an exhale as he lowered his eyelids. "And Cassian," Azriel's eyes snapped open and swung over my head to connect with Cassian's, who had gone very still on my other side. "Cassian and Nesta are free, as they have found their impossible alternatives." The tension around the table felt like everybody was airing their dirty laundry at once, and I certainly didn't understand the background, but I also could not comprehend how this could have anything to do with me.

Elain took a very deep breath and shook her head a few times. When she opened her eyes again, she looked like an entirely different person.

"I apologize Kat. I cannot control what I see or when I see it, but at least it doesn't end with me fainting anymore." She offered a small smile and turned her face toward her plate. Everyone else did the same and we ate our food in complete silence, individually working through the implications of what Elain had said.

"Well, Kat," Cassian said through a mouthful of bread, clearly unable to bear the stifling silence for another moment, "Elain has yet to be wrong, and one thing I think we can all agree that that prediction settles is that you will remain here for a while." He swallowed, as he now had the attention of all eight people around the table. "Azriel will help you with the books, and if the implications of your shadow abilities come true," my shadow friend squirmed up my arm a little at this, "he will also assist you with those duties, right?" Cassian threw a pointed glance at Az and he responded with a curt nod. "Right then. So I would like to offer to train you. As of now we know you are human, and yet incredibly important, I mean, it seems to, uh, multiple members of our... family." Cass's ears were turning a bit pink and he washed the awkwardness down with a long drink of his wine, then continued. "What I mean to say is that you are fragile in our world and any protection I can-we can offer you only seems right." He finished his speech with a smug smile, as though he had aced a test, and I couldn't help but smile a bit.

"I would like that, it does seem, unfortunately, that self-defense may come in handy." Cassian smiled, almost apologetically, and put a hand on my knee, coincidentally the leg that was exposed by my dress and I felt the heavily calloused pads of his fingers rubbing small circles on my exposed skin. Everyone was clearly aware of the action, and that I had done something so similar for Az only half an hour ago, and five faces took in the three of use sitting on one side of the table. Rhys and Feyre seemingly had an entire conversation staring at each other from opposite ends of the dinner table.

"Well." Rhys interjected out loud as he rose from his seat. "this will be interesting, brothers, won't it?"

Az's hand came to rest on my other knee and I looked at the two men on either side of me, they looked at each other warmly. And then both of them fixed their intense stares on me.


End file.
